Additional Coverage:
- ‘Two-thirds’ of detainees brought to Alligator Alcatraz are missing, chilling report finds (themirror.com)
Hundreds of Migrants Vanish From Florida’s “Alligator Alcatraz”
A troubling report from the Miami Herald has revealed that hundreds of detainees have seemingly disappeared from ICE records after being transferred to the newly opened South Florida immigration detention center, nicknamed “Alligator Alcatraz.” The Herald investigated the whereabouts of approximately 1,800 men brought to the facility in July.
Shockingly, nearly two-thirds of these individuals were unaccounted for. Roughly 800 had no record in the ICE database, and over 450 were listed with no location, with the only instruction being to “Call ICE for details.”
While some of these men may still be held at Alligator Alcatraz, the facility’s unusual status complicates tracking. Unlike federally run facilities, Alligator Alcatraz is operated by the state of Florida, which does not maintain a public detainee database.
Furthermore, detainees at this facility are often not included in federal databases. Even considering this, the sheer number of missing records is alarming, especially given that the facility’s population drastically decreased to below 400 by late August due to a (now overturned) court ruling.
The fate of these missing detainees is now even more critical. A federal appeals court has reversed the earlier ruling, allowing Alligator Alcatraz to resume full operations. While some of the missing individuals may have been deported, internal data obtained by the Herald indicates most did not have final deportation orders before entering the facility.
Many deportations resulted from detainees choosing to abandon their immigration cases to escape the facility’s harsh conditions, which have drawn sharp criticism from human rights groups. Miami immigration attorney Alex Solomiany described the situation to the Herald as a “game of chicken,” with detainees often choosing deportation over enduring the deplorable conditions.
Disturbingly, even detainees with legal grounds to stay in the US were deported. The Herald highlights the case of a 53-year-old Guatemalan man, a house painter with a family, who has lived in the US since 2001.
Detained at Alligator Alcatraz after a traffic stop, he was mistakenly deported to Guatemala before a scheduled bond hearing. His attorney is now working to secure his return.
This case underscores the urgent need for transparency and accountability regarding the handling of detainees at Alligator Alcatraz.